Air diffusers

ABSTRACT

An air diffuser having a centrally disposed air inlet, with an air discharge disposed therearound for discharging air substantially radially outwardly relative to the longitudinal axis of the inlet, and with vanes disposed around the inlet for controlling discharge of the air, the vanes being adjustable into various positions relative to each other so as to permit discharge of air in all directions around such inlet or selectively permit discharge of air in certain directions.

8 United States Patent 1191 Hedrick Dec. 17, 1974 [54] AIR DIFFUSERS 2,994,259 8/1961 ODay 98/40 B [75] Inventor: warren R- Hedrick Holland Mich. 3,771,559 11/1973 Alley 98/121 A [73] Assignee: Allied Thermal Corporation, New primary E i -John C b Bfllaln, COIm- Assistant Examiner-Henry C. Yuen [22] Filed: July 2, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 375,449 [571 ABSTRACT An air diffuser having a centrally disposed air inlet, 52 us. c1..... 98/40 0, 98/40 B with air discharge disposed hereamund [51 Int. Cl F24f 7/00 charging air Substantially radially outwardly relative to [58] Field of Search n 98/40 D 40 N 40 B 40 V the longitudinal axis of the inlet, and with vanes dis- 98/39 40 posed around the inlet for controlling discharge of the air, the vanes being adjustable into yarious positions [56] References Cited relative'to each other so as to permit discharge of air in all directions around such inlet or selectively permit 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS discharge of air in'certain directions.

2,504,472 4/1950 Van Alsburg et al 98/40 D 2,791,170 5/1957 Phillips et al 98/40 B 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEL SEC 1 71974 Y 1 AIR DIFFUSERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to air diffusers, and, more particularly, to air diffusers which are particularly well adapted for mounting on ceilings.

It is a primary object of the present invention to afford a novel air diffuser.

Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel air diffuser which is particularly well adapted for use as a ceilingair diffuser.

Ceiling air diffusers have, of course, been heretofore known in the art. However, ceiling ,air diffusers heretofore known in the art have had severalinherent disadvantages, such as, for example, discharging airat undesirable vertical angles, such as, too directly downwardly; not being well adapted for use in various parts of a room; or notbeing adjustable for controlling the amount or direction of the discharge of air therefrom, and the like. It is an important object of the present invention to overcome such disadvantages.

Another objectof the present invention is to afford a novel ceiling air diffuser which is well adapted for installation and usein any part of a room.

Anotherobject is to afford a ceiling air diffuser which is constructed in a novel and expeditious manner whereby, when it is being used in the'central portion of a room, it may. be adjusted'to discharge air in all horizontal directions, and when it is being used at one side ,of a room, such as, for example, adjacent to a wall or in a corner, or the like, it may be quickly and easily adjusted toprevent air being discharged therefrom in the direction of the immediately adjacent wall surface.

Yet another object of the present invention is to afford a novel ceiling air diffuser, wherein the velocity of the discharge of air therefrom in any direction may be selectively adjusted.

A further object of the present invention is to afford a novel ceiling air diffuser which is practical and efficient in operation and which may be readily and economically produced commercially.

. Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show the preferred embodiment of the present invention and the principles thereof and what I now considerto be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying these principles. Other embodiments of theinvention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be madeas desired by those skilled.

in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

' DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 3, butshowing vanes therein disposed in another operative position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT SHOW HEREIN An air diffuser l is shown in FIGS. 1-4 oft he drawings to illustrate the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention. I v f The air diffuser 1 is particularly welladapted for use as a ceiling air diffuser, and embodies, in general. an

upper air inlet 2 for feeding air downwardly into an air chamber 3 defined by a body portion 4, for discharge substantially horizontally outwardly therefrom through a discharge passageway 5 formed in the outer peripheral edge portion of the body portion 4, FIG. 2, as will be discussed in greater" detail presently.

The air diffuser l embodies an upper, or top plate 6,

which is substantially square in shape. The plate 6 111- cludes a substantially flat, square-shaped, annular, intermediate peripheral edge portion 7, from the outer edge of which a square-shaped, annular,-outer peripheral edge portion 8 projects upwardly and outwardly, and from the inner edge portion of which an inner peripheral edge portion 9 projects upwardly and in-' wardly, FIG. 2, the inner peripheral edge portion 9 having a square-shaped outer peripheral edge. Asubstantially round, cylindrical or annular collar 10 is attached to the innerv edge of the inner peripheral edge portion 9, ancl projects substantially'vertically upwardly there from to afford the aforementioned inlet 2.

The air diffuser 1 also includes a substantially square second plate 11, the main bodyportion 12 of which is substantially flat, and is disposed in downwardly spaced parallel relation to the intermediate edge portion 7 'of the upper plate 6. A substantially cup-shaped central portion 13 projects downwardlyfrom' the center of the body portion 12 and terminates in a substantiallyflat bottom wall 14, which is disposed in parallel relation to the body portion 12,'FIG.'2.

A plurality of vanes 15 extend between the intermediate peripheral edge portion 7 of the plate 6'and the outer peripheral edge portion of the plate 11, and are rotatably mounted therein for a purpose which will be t discussed in greater detail hereinafter. Each of the vanes 15 issubstantially flat, and embodies a substantially rectangular-shaped 'blade or body portion 16, having oppositely disposed ends 17 and 18 and oppositely di'sposed longitudinal side edges 19 and 20. Each of the vanes 15 has two portions 21 and 22, which are reduced in size and project outwardly from the mid portions of the end portions 17 and 18, respectively, to afford pivot members for rotatably mounting the vanes 15 in the body portion 4 of the air diffuser l. The pivot members 21 and 22 preferably are substantially flat and disposed in uniplanar relation to the respective blades 16 from which they project, and are rotatably mounted in openings 23 formed in the intermediate peripheral edge portion 7 of the plate 6 and the outer peripheral edge portion of the plate 11, respectively. The pivot members 21 and 22 preferably are mounted in the respective openings 23 with a relatively snug, but freely rotatable fit, so as to prevent vanes 15 from vibrating horizontally relative to the plates 6 and 11. Also, the

vanes 15 are effective to hold the plates 6 and 11 in assembled relation to each other, the vanes 15 being secured against withdraw] from the openings 23 by suitable means such as peening the outwardly projecting extremities 21a and 22a of the pivot members 21 and 22, respectively. 1

The vanes are spaced along the sides of the square-shaped plates 6 and 11 on centers which are so spaced from each other that when adjacent blades 16, which are adjacent along one of the aforementioned sides, are disposed in uniplanar relation to each other, as shown in FIG. 4, the adjacent longitudinal edges 19 or 20 of the adjacent blades 16 are disposed in such close juxtaposition to each other that they afford an effective obstruction against the passage of air therebetween, while not being in actual abutting engagement with each other, so that each of the vanes 15 is freely rotatable around its pivot members 21, 22 without interference from the vanes disposed at the same side of the square-shaped plates 6 and 11.

The vanes 15, which are disposed adjacent to each other across each of the corners of the square-shaped plates 6 and 11, are so disposed relative to each other that when they are each disposed in position wherein the blades 16 thereof are disposed in parallel relation to the outer edge of the respective side in which they are mounted, the outer edge portions of the blades 16 of the adjacent vanes 15 abut each other at substantially right angles, as shown with respect to the corner portions 24 and 25 in FIG. 4, so as to afford an effective closure against the passage of air outwardly therebetween.

It will be seen, that with this construction, the vanes 15 may abe disposed at any angle between a fully closed position, as shown in FIG. 4, wherein the blades 16 of adjacent vanes 15 are disposed in position relative to each other effective to prevent the passage of any substantial amount of air outwardly therebetween from the air chamber 3, and a fully open position as shown in FIG. 1,.wherein the vanes 15 are so disposed that the blades 16 of each of them are disposed in substantially radially outwardly extending position relative to the longitudinal center line of the air inlet 2. In this latter position of the vanes 15, the air diffuser 1 is particularly well adapted for use in the central portion of a ceiling of a room, the air being discharged in all horizontal directions from the outer periphery of the body portion 4.

Between the aforementioned fully closed and fully open positions, the vanes 15 may be disposed in an infinite number of other positions, so that the air diffuser 1 is readily adjustable for substantially any operating condition. One of the other possible positions of the vanes 15, which may be selected between the aforementioned-fully closed position shown in FIG. 4 and the fully open position shown in FIG. 2, is one wherein alternate pairs of vanes 15 are disposed relative to each other in alternately inwardly and outwardly opening acute angles relative to the air chamber 13, as shown in FIG. 3. With this arrangement of the vanes 15, the velocity of the air passing outwardly between the blades disposed at the aforementioned inwardly opening acute angles is increased, which is also effective to increase the throw, or distance of discharge, of the air horizontally outwardly from the air diffuser l.

The air diffuser 1 shown in the drawings also embodies a bottom plate or cover plate 26, FIG. 2, which has a substantially flat central portion 27 secured to the lower face of the bottom wall 14 of the central portion 13 of the plate 11 by any suitable means such as, for example, rivets or spot welding, not shown.

One of the primary purposes of the bottom plate 26 is to afford an ornamental lower cover for the air diffuser 1, which is effective to hide the pivot members 22 and the vanes 15 from view from below the plate 11. The bottom member 26 may be of any suitable configuration, such as, for example, the substantially steppedcup-shape shown in FIG. 2, but preferably terminates at its outer edge portion in an outer peripheral edge portion 28, which is disposed in downwardly spaced substantially parallel relation to the outer peripheral edge portion 8 of the plate 6, so that the peripheral edge portions 8 and 28 define the upper and lower boundaries of the discharge 5 of the air diffuser 1.

It has been found that when theair diffuser l is constructed in the aforementioned manner, wherein the air inlet 2 is round in transverse cross-section and the body portion 4 is square in transverse cross-section, there are no dead spots around the outer periphery of the body portion 4 for the discharge of air therefrom when the vanes 15 are so disposed in fully open position, as shown in FIG. 1. This is. not true when other transverse cross sectional shapes are used for the construction of the air inlet 2. Therefore, I prefer to use a round transverse cross sectional shape for the air inlet 2, al though, as willbe appreciated by those skilled in the art other shapes may be used therefor without departing from the broader aspects of the present invention.

It will be seen that with the'air diffuser 1 constructed in the manner disclosed herein, when it is desired to install the same in the central ceiling portion of a room with the discharge of air therefrom being substantially in all horizontal directions, the vanes 15 may be disposed in the desired open position around the periphery of the body portion 4, such as, for example, the fully open position shown in FIG. 1. On the other hand, if it is desired'to vary the discharge of air from between any of the adjacent vanes 15, the positions of these vanes may be adjusted to any selected position between the aforementioned fully open position, shown in FIG. 1, and the aforementioned fully closed position, shown in. FIG. 4.

This construction is particularly advantageous when the air diffuser 1 is to be disposed adjacent to a wall, or adjacent to two-walls such as, for example, in a corner. of a room. Under such conditions, the vanes 15 in the side of the air diffuser disposed adjacent to such a wall may be disposed in the aforementioned fully closed position, as shown in FIG. 4, so as to close off the discharge of air outwardly from that side of the air diffuser.

Also, it will be seen that, with the aforementioned construction, the vanes 15 of the air diffuser I afford control members for selectively preventing or pennitting the discharge of air from selected portions thereof; controlling the direction of the discharge of air therefrom; and controlling the velocity of the discharge of air therefrom.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention affords a novel air diffuser.

'In addition, it will be seen that the aforementioned" invention affords a novel air diffuser which is particularly well adapted for use as a ceiling air diffuser.

Also, it will be seen that the present invention affords a novel ceiling air diffuser which is practical and efficient in operation and which may be readily and economically produced commercially.

Thus, while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

b. a second substantially square plate disposed in l. downwardly spaced,

2. substantially parallel relation to said first mentioned peripheral edge portion,

a third substantially square plate 1. mounted below said second plate, and

2. having an outer peripheral edge portion a. projecting outwardly beyond the outer peripheral edge of said second plate, and

b. disposed in downwardly spaced, substantially parallel relation to said second peripheral edge portion,

dasaid first mentioned, second and third peripheral edge portions defining one side of a discharge passageway for discharging air, received from said airinlet collar, outwardly from the peripheral edge of said plates,

. said second plate and said outer peripheral edge portion of said third plate defining the opposite side of said discharge passageway, and

vanes mounted in said discharge passageway for controlling the flow of air therethrough,

g. said vanes each comprising 1. substantially flat blades having a. oppositely disposed ends, and b. two oppositely disposed edges extending between said ends, and 2. two reduced end portions projecting outwardly from substantially the midpoint of respectives ones of said ends to afford pivot members,

h. said vanes being disposed between said first mentioned and said second plates-with 1. said pivot members on one end of said blades being rotatably mounted in said first mentioned peripheral edge portionof said first mentioned plate, and

2. said pivot members on the other end of said blades being rotatably mounted in the outer peripheral edge portion of said second plate forrotation of said vanes through 360 around the longitudinal center lines of the pivot members thereon, and

said longitudinal center lines being spaced from each other along respective sides of the square- 6 shaped peripheral edge portions of said first mentioned and second plates that said vanes along each of said sides may be rotated around said pivot members thereon into and out of position effective to close the corresponding side of saiddischarge passageway against'the discharge of air therefrom,

j. said vanes disposed along such a side, when they are disposed in said position thereof, being disposed in such position that said blades thereof are disposed in substantially uniplanar relation to each other with saidoppositely disposed edges of adjacent ones of said blade disposed in closely adjacent, substantially abutting relation to each other.

2. A ceiling air diffuser a's defined in-claim 1 and in which j a. said vanesmay be pivoted around said pivot members from said first mentioned position l. into position wherein they are disposed perpendicularly to said first mentioned position, and

2. into position wherein alternate pairs of said blades are disposed at acute angles to each other, which open inwardly and outwardly, respectively, relative to the outer periphery of said discharge passageway.

3. A ceiling diffuser comprising a. an upper plate member having 1. a substantially flat, horizontally extending peripheral edge portion, and 2. a second peripheral edge portion projecting upwardly and outwardly from the outer edge of said first edge portion,

b. a second plate spaced downwardly from and substantially parallel with said .upper plate member and forming an air chamber therewith,

c. an air inlet associated with said upper plate member andcommunicating with said air chamber,

d. the space between the peripheral edge portions of said upper plate and said second plate defining a discharge passagewayfor discharging air from said air inlet, v e. a plurality of vanes pivotally mounted in said discharge passageway between said first named peripheral edge portion and said second platefor controlling the flow of air therethrough,

f. the pivotal mounting for each of said vanes being in the longitudinal center thereof, and each vane having substantially the same length whereby adjacent vanes may be rotated between open and closed positions, and when in the closed position. thereof the edges of adjacent vanes will bein sub stantially abutting relation to each other, and

g. a third plate mounted below said second plate and having an outer peripheral edge portion projecting outwardly beyond the outer peripheral edge of said second plate and disposed in downwardly spaced, substantially parallel, relation with respect to said second peripheral edge portion on said upper plate member.

4. A ceiling diffuser, as defined in claim 3, wherein said second plate is provided with a substantially centrally disposed, downwardly extending support member on which said third plate is mounted.

5. A ceiling diffuser comprising a. an upper plate member having l. a substantially flat, horizontally extending peripheral edge portion, and 2. a second peripheral edge portion projecting upwardly and outwardly from the outer edge of said first edge portion, b. a second plate spaced downwardly from and substantially parallel with said upper plate member in the longitudinal center thereof, and each vane having substantially the same length whereby adjacent vanes may be rotated between open and closed positions, and when in the closed position thereof the edges of adjacent vanes will be in substantially abutting relation to each other,

g. a third plate below said second plate, and

h. a substantially centrally disposed support member extending downwardly from said second plate on which said third plate is mounted.

6. A ceiling diffuser, as defined in claim 5, wherein said third plate is provided with an outer peripheral edge portion projecting outwardly beyond the outer peripheral edge of said second plate and disposed in downwardly spaced, substantially parallel, relation with respect to said second peripheral edge portion on said upper plate member. 

1. A ceiling air diffuser comprising a. A substantially square upper plate comprising
 1. a substantially flat, horizontally extending peripheral edge portion
 2. a second peripheral edge portion projecting upwardly and outwardly from the outer edge of said first mentioned peripheral edge portion,
 3. a third peripheral edge portion projecting upwardly and inwardly from the inner edge of said final mentioned peripheral edge portion, and
 4. a substantially annular air-inlet collar a. attached to the inner edge of said third peripheral edge portion, and b. projecting substantially vertically upwardly from the latter, b. a second substantially square plate disposed in
 1. downwardly spaced,
 2. substantially parallel relation to said first mentioned peripheral edge portion, c. a third substantially square plate
 1. mounted below said second plate, and
 2. having an outer peripheral edge portion a. projecting outwardly beyond the outer peripheral edge of said second plate, and b. dispOsed in downwardly spaced, substantially parallel relation to said second peripheral edge portion, d. said first mentioned, second and third peripheral edge portions defining one side of a discharge passageway for discharging air, received from said air-inlet collar, outwardly from the peripheral edge of said plates, e. said second plate and said outer peripheral edge portion of said third plate defining the opposite side of said discharge passageway, and f. vanes mounted in said discharge passageway for controlling the flow of air therethrough, g. said vanes each comprising
 1. substantially flat blades having a. oppositely disposed ends, and b. two oppositely disposed edges extending between said ends, and
 2. two reduced end portions projecting outwardly from substantially the midpoint of respectives ones of said ends to afford pivot members, h. said vanes being disposed between said first mentioned and said second plates with
 1. said pivot members on one end of said blades being rotatably mounted in said first mentioned peripheral edge portion of said first mentioned plate, and
 2. said pivot members on the other end of said blades being rotatably mounted in the outer peripheral edge portion of said second plate for rotation of said vanes through 360* around the longitudinal center lines of the pivot members thereon, and i. said longitudinal center lines being spaced from each other along respective sides of the square-shaped peripheral edge portions of said first mentioned and second plates that said vanes along each of said sides may be rotated around said pivot members thereon into and out of position effective to close the corresponding side of said discharge passageway against the discharge of air therefrom, j. said vanes disposed along such a side, when they are disposed in said position thereof, being disposed in such position that said blades thereof are disposed in substantially uniplanar relation to each other with said oppositely disposed edges of adjacent ones of said blade disposed in closely adjacent, substantially abutting relation to each other.
 2. a second peripheral edge portion projecting upwardly and outwardly from the outer edge of said first edge portion, b. a second plate spaced downwardly from and substantially parallel with said upper plate member and forming an air chamber therewith, c. an air inlet associated with said upper plate member and communicating with said air chamber, d. the space between the peripheral edge portions of said upper plate and said second plate defining a discharge passageway for discharging air from said air inlet, e. a plurality of vanes pivotally mounted in said discharge passageway between said first named peripheral edge portion and said second plate for controlling the flow of air therethrough, f. the pivotal mounting for each of said vanes being in the longitudinal center thereof, and each vane having substantially the same length whereby adjacent vanes may be rotated between open and closed positions, and when in the closed position thereof the edges of adjacent vanes will be in substantially abutting relation to each other, and g. a third plate mounted below said second plate and having an outer peripheral edge portion projecting oUtwardly beyond the outer peripheral edge of said second plate and disposed in downwardly spaced, substantially parallel, relation with respect to said second peripheral edge portion on said upper plate member.
 2. a second peripheral edge portion projecting upwardly and outwardly from the outer edge of said first mentioned peripheral edge portion,
 2. a second peripheral edge portion projecting upwardly and outwardly from the outer edge of said first edge portion, b. a second plate spaced downwardly from and substantially parallel with said upper plate member and forming an air chamber therewith, c. an air inlet associated with said upper plate member and communicating with said air chamber, d. the space between the peripheral edge portions of said upper plate and said second plate defining a discharge passageway for discharging air from said air inlet, e. a plurality of vanes pivotally mounted in said discharge passageway between said first named peripheral edge portion and said second plate for controlling the flow of air therethrough, f. the pivotal mounting for each of said vanes being in the longitudinal center thereof, and each vane having substantially the same length whereby adjacent vanes may be rotated between open and closed positions, and when in the closed position thereof the edges of adjacent vanes will be in substantially abutting relation to each other, g. a third plate below said second plate, and h. a substantially centrally disposed support member extending downwardly from said second plate on which said third plate is mounted.
 2. into position wherein alternate pairs of said blades are disposed at acute angles to each other, which open inwardly and outwardly, respectively, relative to the outer periphery of said discharge passageway.
 2. A ceiling air diffuser as defined in claim 1, and in which a. said vanes may be pivoted around said pivot members from said first mentioned position
 2. said pivot members on the other end of said blades being rotatably mounted in the outer peripheral edge portion of said second plate for rotation of said vanes through 360* around the longitudinal center lines of the pivot members thereon, and i. said longitudinal center lines being spaced from each other along respective sides of the square-shaped peripheral edge portions of said first mentioned and second plates that said vanes along each of said sides may be rotated around said pivot members thereon into and out of position effective to close the corresponding side of said discharge passageway against the discharge of air therefrom, j. said vanes disposed along such a side, when they are disposed in said position thereof, being disposed in such position that said blades thereof are disposed in substantially uniplanar relation to each other with said oppositely disposed edges of adjacent ones of said blade disposed in closely adjacent, substantially abutting relation to each other.
 2. two reduced end portions projecting outwardly from substantially the midpoint of respectives ones of said ends to afford pivot members, h. said vanes being disposed between said first mentioned and said second plates with
 2. having an outer peripheral edge portion a. projecting outwardly beyond the outer peripheral edge of said second plate, and b. dispOsed in downwardly spaced, substantially parallel relation to said second peripheral edge portion, d. said first mentioned, second and third peripheral edge portions defining one side of a discharge passageway for discharging air, received from said air-inlet collar, outwardly from the peripheral edge of said plates, e. said second plate and said outer peripheral edge portion of said third plate defining the opposite side of said discharge passageway, and f. vanes mounted in said discharge passageway for controlling the flow of air therethrough, g. said vanes each comprising
 2. substantially parallel relation to said first mentioned peripheral edge portion, c. a third substantially square plate
 3. a third peripheral edge portion projecting upwardly and inwardly from the inner edge of said final mentioned peripheral edge portion, and
 3. A ceiling diffuser comprising a. an upper plate member having
 4. a substantially annular air-inlet collar a. attached to the inner edge of said third peripheral edge portion, and b. projecting substantially vertically upwardly from the latter, b. a second substantially square plate disposed in
 4. A ceiling diffuser, as defined in claim 3, wherein said second plate is provided with a substantially centrally disposed, downwardly extending support member on which said third plate is mounted.
 5. A ceiling diffuser comprising a. an upper plate member having
 6. A ceiling diffuser, as defined in claim 5, wherein said third plate is provided with an outer peripheral edge portion projecting outwardly beyond the outer peripheral edge of said second plate and disposed in downwardly spaced, substantially parallel, relation with respect to said second peripheral edge portion on said upper plate member. 